Director: Kevin Greutert
Stars: The people from the previous Saw movies and some new ones. Yep.
In this final chapter of the franchise, there’s flashbacks galore as the seeds of Jigsaw’s legacy bloom into a big ol’ bloody mess.
Saw VI was an improvement and overall I think the franchise ends on a fairly high note. Saw 3D: The Final Chapter ties everything up nicely and links in with the first film. It also introduces a neat concept – the idea that there is a support group for those who have survived the traps. Although I’m disappointed that Julie Benz didn’t make an appearance here because I still don’t get what the point of their story was in Saw V.
The traps are, once again, inventive, although I didn’t like the first one. It was set outdoors, and I get that they wanted to give the film a fresh look but it raised more questions than it answered. How, exactly, did they get this trap set up in the open? I mean, most of the traps are so elaborate that you have to wonder how they get set up in the first place, but at least I can spend my disbelief when they’re in abandoned warehouses. This one, not so much. But the nature of the the game is a strong one and although the resolution was a little predictable it was still satisfying.
Hoffman is at his strongest here because I finally felt like he was working autonomously rather than blindly following Jigsaw’s orders. The two plots dovetail nicely, and the film is paced well. But it is a gimmicky. Obviously with the ‘3D’ being in the title you can tell this was made at the height of the craze, and it gives the film a dated feel. Interestingly enough it actually feels lighter than the other films in the franchise, when 3D films usually appear a little darker. The 3D tricks are distracting even in 2D because you know they were forced in there to get a bit more attention, but the story is strong enough that it can overcome the gimmick.
I’m sure that at some point someone will revive the franchise, but ending on this is fitting, and it provides good closure for those who have watched all the films.